33 Days Yesterday and Success!

 With a worrying 3.5 metre high tide and at 33 days from the first sighting of an egg in a dotterel nest I was concerned that maybe the egg was infertile or had been cooked in the sun. The adults were seen frequently leaving the nest to chase off nearby birds. However, on one of those occasions yesterday morning at high tide when the adult left the nest a tiny chick emerged for a minute or two to have a few quick steps and a look around at its new world before heading back into the nest sheltered by the returning adult to the nest.

Dotterels usually egg usually hatch at day 28 - day 32 so I think this chick probably emerged the day before (Day 32). Fortunately, the estuary was calm, so the 3.5 tides were just below the nest location.

A circling large juvenile Southern black backed gull did pass by but the nest shelter seemed to avoid its attention to the nest site.

So far so good! I will check again this morning for more activity. Then it's a five to six week wait until the young fledge. Now I am hoping that the adults will direct any chicks to the nearby little tent shaped chick shelter to continue their protection.

 

32 days and counting !

Its 32 days since I observed a dotterel nest with one egg on a shell bank in the estuary. The giveaway was that a pair of dotterels had been rather agitated with a two Caspian tern one an adult and the other a juvenile resting up on the shell bank at high tide. When I checked at low tide, I discovered a dotterel nest with just one egg so presumed that his a had recently been laid as dotterel usually lay three eggs. I quickly added an anti-hawk shelter to give the dotterel a chance as hawks are very active at predating eggs or chicks.

 I started counting the days to hatching. 28-32 is the usual so concern now is that maybe the eggs are not fertile, or some other issue has occurred.

Matuku Link Reserve with Bot Soc.

 Beautiful day at the wonderful Matuku Link Reserve in the Waitakere Ranges yesterday for a Christmas gathering with the Auckland Botanical Society (Bot Soc).

A few photos taken on the day.

Bee Friendly

 Staying with the Bee theme it seems that I have inadvertently created a small native bee habitat in the front garden. A couple of days ago I noticed a couple of native bees trapped in our front glass porchway.  I am constantly rescuing praying mantis, other small critters and butterflies including a migratory Meadow Argus butterfly from Australia. 

Yesterday after finding a dead native bee, I began wondering where they were coming from and remembering finding bee habitats that I had photographed in Northland wondered if the clay bank in our front garden could have attracted them.

Native bee at nest - Northland beach (Whale Bay 3.12.2020)

This is a small patch of clay and scoria that some time back I had tucked under the front hedge following digging a small garden drainage ditch. Months later I regretted this during trimming the hedge and realizing that like local building developments on sloping sites during heavy rain the sediment was sliding down the front bank. I set out to tidy this up. I couldn't clear it completely as the clay had dried solid like concrete as this bank gets long hours of sunshine..

Live native bee on porch glass

Dead native bee in porch

.Standing on the front berm (grass verge) I soon spotted a few black native bees entering crevasses in the clay. Apparently, their nests can be some 20cms deep where the females lay their egg. Later young emerging females do the same. Native bees feed on Pohutukawa, manuka and some non-native introduced species gathering pollen. They do not sting and generally their nests can be found within 100metres of their feeding areas. Although sometimes many bees can be attracted to the same nesting bank of clay or sand, they are not colony nesters with no hive or production of honey. They are however important pollinators.

Busy Bees

November has been a busy month with bait pulse activity by our local group of keen volunteers. And Surprise Surprise the rats have been very active across all lines that protect the bush reserves and shell bank environment around our local estuaries off Shoal and Ngataringa.

Vulnerable nests in at risk tidal loculation's have so far survived. A pied stilt nest and a dotterel nest with one egg on the 8th of November not revisited to check for additional eggs to avoid disturbance. Hatching will be in approximately 28 days.

The Godwit are back with Spoonbill this morning.

 Timing is everything with watching Nature and the morning after our local godwit event when for the first year the godwits disappointed by not appearing on a nearby shell bank at high tide they were back.

And again, this morning they were roosting (resting) on the shell bank with four Spoonbill.

Where are our Godwits ?

This year our small visiting flock of bar-tailed godwit decided not to show up on the high tide roost (resting) site for our planned event at Shoal estuary. The birds’ movements locally have certainly been less predictable with strong Westerly winds and some very high tides so far this spring season.

However, it was a great afternoon gathering at the edge of the estuary. Once again organized by the local environment group Restoring Takarunga Hauraki (RTH)

 Our usual Druid friend Chris introduced my talk about our local godwit arrivals and behaviors, and Zane provided a Maori perspective and some important points regarding avoiding disturbing the bird's habitat.

The birds may not have played their part but during the event a lone Spoonbill did flyby which everyone got to see.

 We also had two Auckland Councillors attend, Richard Hills and newly elected John Gillan and trust  they will both represent and support protection of our local environment.

Motuihe Island Return

 Heading to Motuihe Island today. I haven't landed on the Island for a few years since my camping trip days staying in my two-man tent.They were happy days exploring the island and searching for interesting wildlife.

Today i am with the Auckland Botanical Society and Bella and Ben who have been working on the many Conservation projects to restore the island.

More to follow.........................

Nature is Shy.

 "Nature is shy and noncommittal in a crowd. To learn her secrets, visit her alone or with a single friend, at most. Everything evades you, everything hides, even your thoughts escape you, when you walk in a crowd."

Edwin Way Teale. Circle of seasons. The Journal of a Naturalist Year.

 However today I have visited the Pukorokoro/Miranda Shorebird Centre to attend what was an excellent talk by Dan Ruthrauff who lives in Anchorage and is a researcher of shorebirds in Western Alaska. The Shorebird Centre was filled to the doorway with birders keen to hear Dans talk. 

Today Dan along with an excellent presentation including some amazing photographs and video was sharing his experience and the challenges involved in studying Bar-tailed godwit in the tundra landscape of Alaska. This shorebird breeds in Alaska and at this time of the year (October) has returned to New Zealand its non-breeding habitat to share our summer in estuaries across the country. In Alaska some 80-90,000 godwit attempt to breed and following this they form huge flocks waiting for the opportunity to fly South.

After Dans talk we descended to the bird hides at the nearby Robert Findlay reserve to see the newly arrived bar-tailed godwit and other waders.  At Pukorokoro/ Miranda today there were several thousand godwits along with other birds.

 At my local estuary we have our share at present a smaller flock of a round 200 but the birds are site faithful, and one Chinese flagged godwit has returned for the sixth-year running. At Pukorokoro there will be many flagged research birds to monitor and record for scientific purposes. Come March 2026 our share of the godwit flocks will return to Alaska to breed via China as a stopping place to refuel. Once again, they hopefully will achieve their near 30,000-kilometer round trip. 

 

They're Back !

 Concern was growing that the usual arrival of the bar-tailed godwit to our local estuaries had somehow been disrupted. Eleven had been counted at the beginning of the month but this them reduced to a second sighting of just four a few days later. Then no further sightings at their usual high tide roost sites.

However, on Saturday 39 were recorded in Ngataringa Bay and then this morning I counted 68. It was a very windy and fairly cool count this morning and that's how the weather has been this month, I suspect that this is the reason for the rather inconsistent early arrivals from their flight nearly 12000 km flight from Alaska to spend the summer with us before returning to Alaska to breed via China next March.

So too are a pair of mallard ducks back visiting our pond this morning. I guess they too were seeking shelter from the strong winds across the nearby estuary.

Photos to follow...................

Fossil Forest

 Some 250,00 years ago there was a forest area at the Northern end of Takapuna beach when the sea level was far lower. Rangitoto island erupted, and molten lava surrounded the larger trees and as it solidified formed deep cones. The timber continued to burn as the molten lava cooled forming a fossil forest that is still visible particularly at low tide.

Just recently probably due to some recent storms and rough seas gooey sandstone has appeared in a greater amount than I can remember observed as the tide recedes about halfway along the kilometer long Takapuna beach. Sticking out of this mix of sand and mud are many pieces of blackened wood appearing like small tree stumps. 

These are probably branches and trees that have floated out from rivers and have been captured by the sand and mud. I will try and find out more about this strange phenomenon. 

The Firth Tower.

 During a recent visit to the Cambridge Matamata area in the Waikato it was interesting to visit the Firth Tower near Matamata township. I had read about this tower some years back but didn't appreciate the undertaking, location and the present site as a museum including some very interesting old buildings.

Tara iti hui.

 It was great to attend another annual Department of Conservation (DOC) Tara iti (NZ Fairy Tern) hui in Wellsford today and hear more about the ongoing work and planned projects to protect this endangered endemic species.

One of the projects that captured my imagination was by Cara who plans to trial this motorised falcon to drive Australasian hawks (kahu) away from Tara iti nesting habitats.

Another idea that Cara is researching is to supplementary feed Kahu and their young to discourage them from taking other species. This research could be a game changer for our shell bank areas that are often patrolled by Kahu looking for easy prey. That easy prey is our nesting dotterel including their eggs and chicks. 

I will be following Caras projects closely.

Dripping with Rails !

 I do remember in the early days when I first set out to watch banded rail, I was always unlucky. Following a search at a wetland reserve and still no success someone commented that I should have seen them as the place was 'dripping with rails'.

Gradually my luck changed, or I became more observant, and I began to see them more often in coastal wetland habitats.

 I regularly watch them at Wenderhom Regional Park providing the tide in the estuary is just right to enable them to feed. Today was ideal and these photos show one rail busy feed as the tide recedes.

This banded rail launches itself at a crab

Another tasty crab is caught

The crab is dipped in a pool probably to remove sand

The crab still alive is swallowed whole.

Keeping the Shell Banks safe for Birds

Hauraki School students have once again volunteered to help keep an important shell bank in Shoal estuary safe for birds by searching for and removing rubbish.

It was great to be asked again by Hauraki school to attend and talk to their students ahead of their shell bank clean up. I also brought along my scope in the hope that we might see some of the birds that visit the area. That would prove difficult as due to a low tide to enable access to the shell bank the birds would be a long way out today. 

170 students and their parent helpers and teachers arrived ready to search for rubbish on the shell bank.  Due to recent high tides there was not much large rubbish to be found but the student with their very keen eyes still found plenty of small pieces that could be dangerous to birds that feed in the estuary.

The student from Hauraki school searching for rubbish on the shell bank.

These are just a few of the shorebirds that live and visit Shoal Bay estuary

A Big Thankyou to the students at Hauraki School that took part today including their teachers and many parent helpers. Thanks also to Theo our local Community Ranger for supplying gloves and rubbish bags. 

Another excellent team effort to Keep the Shell Banks Safe for Birds

Northward

Dawn and Dusk at Waitangi.

They are back again. This time just one Cape Barren goose near the Ruakaka estuary campsite.

Last May there were three. The seem quite confiding flying in to feed on the grassy slopes above the estuary edge.

Reef Herons - Critically Threatened

 Following a recent survey between December 2024 and February 2025, Reef Heron numbers in the Auckland region appear to be critically low.

This information was revealed last evening during our Auckland Regional Birds NZ meeting. I was rather dismayed to hear that only 10 nests were located and only a few reef heron observed.

I have always enjoyed watching these birds when I have come across them. I have observed them on Motuihe Island, Mangawhai estuary, Huia in the Waitakeres and also in the middle of the Shoal estuary.

45 SIPOS

 Another stunning clear blue-sky day to visit the Mahurangi Regional Reserve and a quick count of the birds on Sullivans beach and the grass reserve at high tide showed 45 Variable Oystercatchers (VOCS), two New Zealand dotterel and about 20 mallard ducks.

Some of the 45 Variable oystercatchers roosting around early afternoon.

This is a regular site for roosting VOCs and occasionally a pair of NZ dotterel although their is very little room for the dotterel to breed on the beach with high tides.

Pukorokoro 50th Anniversary

 Pukorokoro Miranda shorebird centre is this year celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a series of events.

Today a beautiful blue-sky day to attend the AGM and a talk by Keith Woodley who with the help of historic photographs and interesting memories illustrated the many events and the people who over the years had contributed to the success of the Pukorokoro/Miranda Naturalist' Trust.

Heavens Above!

The NZ Herald this morning in their article recording the severe storm during the early hours of this morning that the 'Heavens opened' with heavy rain across the Auckland region. 

There was little warning of this ahead of this morning's downpour recorded by the Met Office as shown below with over 50mm of rain over just a few hours.

Sadly, these heavy downpours of rain not only cause flooding to people's homes and livelihoods but cause huge amounts of sediment to flow from inadequately protected development sites across the city into our streams, estuaries and ultimately into the Hauraki Gulf.  

Oceania Seabird Conference

 A full-on week enjoying the Oceania Seabird Conference at Auckland University which was hosted by SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme). 

The vision of SPREP - 'A resilient Pacific Environment sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures'.

Three days of excellent lectures from researchers active throughout the Pacific region working on the collection of data and protection of some very challenging Island environments crucial to seabird ecology.

It was excellent to meetup with New Zealand friends and engage with many Pacific Island visitors too.

 Due to the extreme weather front arriving today the field trips including a pelagic from Tutukaka marina and visits to Tawharanui sanctuary and Motuora Island had to be cancelled.

Dotterel Forum 2025

 Today was the 10th Auckland Dotterel Forum and this year it was held at a new venue the Mangere Mountain Education Centre hosted by Auckland Council. Each year the Forum gathers together a group of people (Dotterel Minders) who are dedicated to the care and protection of the Northern New Zealand Dotterel species.

Landcare researcher shows cat aversion research to protect nesting sites

Great talks today from a variety of contributors. It's always interesting to hear success stories but we are also reminded of the ongoing lack of action on the damage and disturbance from cats, dogs and development to the breeding success of this species...

Te Muri Parore fish - Late Post

 The tides were good to explore the Te Muri Reserve. Or so I thought but after climbing over the hill from Sullivans bay I realised that the tide was turning and coming in fast.

So rather than cross the river I found a shady spot to observe any fish moving upstream with the tide. The water was incredibly clear and soon several good sized parore fish were observed feeding on vegetation along the nearside of the river just below where I was sitting. 

 More to follow.......

Muriwai - before the Gannets leave.

Over to the West coast of Auckland today to the Muriwai gannet colony. The newly fledged young gannets are about to launch from the high cliffs of the gannet nesting colony for their first migration.

 more to follow.................................

Pukorokoro/Miranda catchups

 It's always good to catch up with people at the Robert Findlay Reserve and at the Pukorokoro/Miranda Shorebird Centre on the Thames estuary.

 Today was extra special as I was able to meet up with my friend Claire from Perth WA and share with her the Pukorokoro shorebird environment. Claire is a Marine Ecologist whose specialty is the Australian Fairy Tern. Her work now includes assisting the New Zealand Scientific Advisory group for research into the Tara Iti, the New Zealand Fairy Tern. I have enjoyed many visits to WA to catch up with the Australian Fairy Tern work by Claire and her colleagues which aligns with my voluntary work with Fairy Tern projects in New Zealand

 Claire was enjoying seeing large numbers of shorebirds including South Island pied oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwit. Pacific Golden plovers and our New Zealand endemic the Wrybill a small, unusual bird with a bent to the right bill.

Today recent arrivals to NZ from the UK Shona and James were also visiting the Shorebird Centre and by chance Shona and Claire are linked to conservation projects in Australia. I wish them good luck for their future time in NZ and hope to catch up with them in Auckland some time.

It was good to chat to Natalie at the hides about Conservation. Natalie is the present President of Birds New Zealand.

The weather was great the birds were great and the company excellent. Altogether a very enjoyable day.

Mermaid Pool

 Exploring the Motutara Reserve looking for the mermaid pools. There are many so called mermaid pools around New Zealand and they are well worth the effort to seek them out. 

We have visited this area on many occasions but somehow missed the mermaid pools hidden away at the far end of the Motutara reserve. It's an enjoyable walk with first a climb over the 60 metre  hill to the Trig point. From there we enjoyed fantastic ocean views including the Poor Knights islands and in the opposite direction the Whananaki estuary below the Reserve. 

On this occasion we were rewarded after a hot but beautiful walk and then enjoyed a well-deserved refreshing swim at the small, secluded bay below. On this occasion the sea temperatures were the warmest I have experienced in the North and this may be why a Manta Ray was recently observed on this coastline.

Meadow Argus

 Cicadas, bee's, paper wasps, small blue butterflies and moths and very occasionally birds fly into the front porch. I'm always rescuing them especially the bees because by morning they are really sluggish due to the overnight temperatures. However, they soon recover and using the sun re-calibrate and are off again on purposeful flight. 

 Today it was a rare migrant butterfly, a Meadow Argus (Junonia villida calybe). It was not in perfect condition but still looked beautiful.

 It's an Australian butterfly found all around the Australian continent including the Sydney suburbs. 

Apparently, it's a rare migrant to New Zealand but in late 1886 thousands made their way across the Tasman Sea to this country.